I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 289 

To establish the Commission on Long Term Social Security Solvency, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 8, 2019 

Mr. COLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a 

period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission on Long Term Social Security 

Solvency, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bipartisan Social Secu5 rity Commission Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

7 There is established in the legislative branch a com8 mission to be known as the ‘‘Commission on Long Term 


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1 Social Security Solvency’’ (in this Act referred to as the 

2 ‘‘Commission’’). 

3 SEC. 3. DUTY OF THE COMMISSION. 

4 Not later than 1 year after the initial meeting of the 

5 Commission, the Commission shall transmit to Congress 

6 a special message that includes recommendations and pro7 posed legislation for achieving solvency in each of the Fed8 eral Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the 

9 Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund for a period of 

10 at least 75 years beginning on the date that is 1 year after 

11 the initial meeting of the Commission. Such message shall 

12 be approved by at least 9 members of the Commission. 

13 SEC. 4. MEMBERS. 

14 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

15 shall be composed of 13 members. Of the members of the 

16 Commission— 

17 (1) 1 shall be appointed by the President; 

18 (2) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 

19 House of Representatives; 

20 (3) 3 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader 

21 of the House of Representatives; 

22 (4) 3 shall be appointed by the Majority Leader 

23 of the Senate; and 

24 (5) 3 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader 

25 of the Senate. 


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1 (b) QUALIFICATIONS FOR CONGRESSIONAL AP2 POINTEES.—Of the members of the Commission appointed 

3 by the Congress, at least 1 appointed by each political 

4 party shall be an expert who is not an elected official or 

5 an officer or employee of the Federal Government or of 

6 any State. 

7 (c) TIMING OF APPOINTMENTS.—Each of the ap8 pointments made under subsection (a) shall be made not 

9 later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this 

10 Act. 

11 (d) TERMS; VACANCIES.—Each member shall be ap12 pointed for the life of the Commission, and a vacancy in 

13 the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the 

14 original appointment was made. 

15 (e) COMPENSATION.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Commission 

17 shall serve without pay. 

18 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member shall 

19 receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 

20 subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 

21 under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

22 States Code. 

23 SEC. 5. OPERATION AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. 

24 (a) CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR.—The member of the 

25 Commission appointed by the President under section 4(a) 


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1 shall serve as the chair of the Commission. A co-chair of 

2 the Commission shall be designated by the Speaker of the 

3 House of Representatives at the time of the appointment. 

4 (b) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet not 

5 later than 30 days after the members of the Commission 

6 have been appointed, and at such times thereafter as the 

7 chair or co-chair shall determine. 

8 (c) RULES OF PROCEDURE.—The chair and co-chair 

9 shall, with the approval of a majority of the members of 

10 the Commission, establish written rules of procedure for 

11 the Commission, which shall include a quorum require12 ment to conduct the business of the Commission. 

13 (d) HEARINGS.—The Commission shall, for the pur14 pose of carrying out this Act, hold at least one hearing 

15 that is open to the public and allows for public comment 

16 and participation, and may hold such other hearings, sit 

17 and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive 

18 evidence as the Commission considers appropriate. 

19 (e) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 

20 may secure directly from any department or agency of the 

21 United States, including the Congressional Budget Office 

22 and the Government Accountability Office, any informa23 tion or technical assistance necessary to enable it to carry 

24 out this Act. Upon request of the chair or co-chair of the 

25 Commission, the head of that department or agency shall 


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1 furnish that information or technical assistance to the 

2 Commission. 

3 (f) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—The Commission may 

4 contract with and compensate government and private 

5 agencies or persons for any purpose necessary to enable 

6 it to carry out this Act. 

7 (g) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 

8 States mails in the same manner and under the same con9 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United 

10 States. 

11 SEC. 6. PERSONNEL. 

12 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc13 tor who shall be appointed by the Commission. The Direc14 tor shall be paid at a rate of pay equivalent to the annual 

15 rate of basic pay for a comparable position paid under the 

16 Executive Schedule, subject to the approval of the chair 

17 and the co-chair. 

18 (b) STAFF.—The Director may appoint and fix the 

19 pay of additional staff as the Director considers appro20 priate. 

21 (c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission 

22 may procure temporary and intermittent services under 

23 section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates 

24 for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the 


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1 annual rate of basic pay for a comparable position paid 

2 under the Executive Schedule. 

3 (d) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request 

4 of the Commission, the head of any Federal department 

5 or agency may detail, without reimbursement, any of the 

6 personnel of that department or agency to the Commission 

7 to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. 

8 (e) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 

9 the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen10 eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim11 bursable basis, the administrative support services nec12 essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 

13 under this Act. 

14 (f) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—The Commis15 sion may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or 

16 devises of services or property, both real and personal, for 

17 the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Com18 mission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and proceeds 

19 from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, 

20 or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be 

21 available for disbursement upon order of the Commission. 

22 SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 

23 The Commission shall terminate not later than 60 

24 days after the submission of the report described in sec25 tion 3. 


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1 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 There is authorized to be appropriated not more than 

3 $2,000,000 to carry out this Act. 

4 SEC. 9. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF COMMISSION REC5 OMMENDATIONS. 

6 (a) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION.— 

7 (1) INTRODUCTION OF APPROVAL BILL.—The 

8 majority leader of each House or a designee shall 

9 (by request) introduce an approval bill as described 

10 in subsection (c) not later than the third day of ses11 sion of that House after the date of receipt of a spe12 cial message transmitted to the Congress under sec13 tion 3. 

14 (2) CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE OF REP15 RESENTATIVES.— 

16 (A) REFERRAL AND REPORTING.—Any 

17 committee of the House of Representatives to 

18 which an approval bill is referred shall report it 

19 to the House without amendment not later than 

20 the third legislative day after the date of its in21 troduction. If a committee fails to report the 

22 bill within that period or the House has adopt23 ed a concurrent resolution providing for ad24 journment sine die at the end of a Congress, 

25 such committee shall be automatically dis26 charged from further consideration of the bill 


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1 and it shall be placed on the appropriate cal2 endar. 

3 (B) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 

4 Not later than 3 legislative days after the ap5 proval bill is reported or a committee has been 

6 discharged from further consideration thereof, 

7 it shall be in order to move to proceed to con8 sider the approval bill in the House. Such a mo9 tion shall be in order only at a time designated 

10 by the Speaker in the legislative schedule within 

11 two legislative days after the day on which the 

12 proponent announces an intention to the House 

13 to offer the motion provided that such notice 

14 may not be given until the approval bill is re15 ported or a committee has been discharged 

16 from further consideration thereof. Such a mo17 tion shall not be in order after the House has 

18 disposed of a motion to proceed with respect to 

19 that special message. The previous question 

20 shall be considered as ordered on the motion to 

21 its adoption without intervening motion. A mo22 tion to reconsider the vote by which the motion 

23 is disposed of shall not be in order. 

24 (C) CONSIDERATION.—If the motion to 

25 proceed is agreed to, the House shall immeVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:44 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H289.IH H289

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1 diately proceed to consider the approval bill in 

2 the House without intervening motion. The ap3 proval bill shall be considered as read. All 

4 points of order against the approval bill and 

5 against its consideration are waived. The pre6 vious question shall be considered as ordered on 

7 the approval bill to its passage without inter8 vening motion except 4 hours of debate equally 

9 divided and controlled by the proponent and an 

10 opponent and one motion to limit debate on the 

11 bill. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage 

12 of the approval bill shall not be in order. 

13 (3) CONSIDERATION IN THE SENATE.— 

14 (A) COMMITTEE ACTION.—The appropriate 

15 committee of the Senate shall report without 

16 amendment the approval bill not later than the 

17 third session day after introduction. If a com18 mittee fails to report the approval bill within 

19 that period or the Senate has adopted a concur20 rent resolution providing for adjournment sine 

21 die at the end of a Congress, the committee 

22 shall be automatically discharged from further 

23 consideration of the approval bill and it shall be 

24 placed on the appropriate calendar. 


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1 (B) MOTION TO PROCEED.—Not later than 

2 3 session days after the approval bill is reported 

3 in the Senate or the committee has been dis4 charged thereof, it shall be in order for any 

5 Senator to move to proceed to consider the ap6 proval bill in the Senate. The motion shall be 

7 decided without debate and the motion to re8 consider shall be deemed to have been laid on 

9 the table. Such a motion shall not be in order 

10 after the Senate has disposed of a prior motion 

11 to proceed with respect to the approval bill. 

12 (C) CONSIDERATION.—If a motion to pro13 ceed to the consideration of the approval bill is 

14 agreed to, the Senate shall immediately proceed 

15 to consideration of the approval bill without in16 tervening motion, order, or other business, and 

17 the approval bill shall remain the unfinished 

18 business of the Senate until disposed of. Con19 sideration on the bill in the Senate under this 

20 subsection, and all debatable motions and ap21 peals in connection therewith, shall not exceed 

22 30 hours equally divided in the usual form. All 

23 points of order against the approval bill or its 

24 consideration are waived. Consideration in the 

25 Senate on any debatable motion or appeal in 


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1 connection with the approval bill shall be lim2 ited to not more than 1 hour. A motion to post3 pone, or a motion to proceed to the consider4 ation of other business, or a motion to recom5 mit the approval bill is not in order. A motion 

6 to reconsider the vote by which the approval bill 

7 is agreed to or disagreed to is not in order. 

8 (4) AMENDMENTS PROHIBITED.—No amend9 ment to, or motion to strike a provision from, an ap10 proval bill considered under this section shall be in 

11 order in either the Senate or the House of Rep12 resentatives. 

13 (5) COORDINATION WITH ACTION BY OTHER

14 HOUSE.— 

15 (A) IN GENERAL.—If, before passing the 

16 approval bill, one House receives from the other 

17 a bill— 

18 (i) the approval bill of the other 

19 House shall not be referred to a com20 mittee; and 

21 (ii) the procedure in the receiving 

22 House shall be the same as if no approval 

23 bill had been received from the other 

24 House until the vote on passage, when the 

25 bill received from the other House shall 


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1 supplant the approval bill of the receiving 

2 House. 

3 (B) EXCEPTION.—This paragraph shall 

4 not apply to the House of Representatives. 

5 (b) LIMITATION.—Subsection (a) shall apply only to 

6 an approval bill described in subsection (c) and introduced 

7 pursuant to subsection (a)(1). 

8 (c) APPROVAL BILL DESCRIBED.—For purposes of 

9 subsection (a), a bill described in this paragraph is a bill— 

10 (1) which consists of the proposed legislation 

11 which is included in such report to carry out the rec12 ommendations made by the Commission in the re13 port; and 

14 (2) the title of which is as follows: ‘‘A bill to 

15 carry out the recommendations of the Commission 

16 on Long Term Social Security Solvency.’’. 

17 (d) EXTENDED TIME PERIOD.—If Congress adjourns 

18 at the end of a Congress and an approval bill was then 

19 pending in either House of Congress or a committee there20 of, or an approval bill had not yet been introduced with 

21 respect to a special message, then within the first 3 days 

22 of session of the next Congress, the Commission shall 

23 transmit to Congress an additional special message con24 taining all of the information in the previous, pending spe25 cial message. An approval bill may be introduced within 


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1 the first five days of session of such next Congress and 

2 shall be treated as an approval bill under this section, and 

3 the time periods described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of 

4 subsection (a) shall commence on the day of introduction 

5 of that approval bill. 

Æ 


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